The food acquisition, dietary practices, and nutritional status of minority women of African descent living in tropical South America

The food acquisition, dietary practices, and nutritional status of rural Af ro-Ecuadorian women were compared with other Ecuadorian and Latin American groups. Data were collected by interview, physical examination, repeated 24 -hour and 7-day recalls, key-informant interviews, and non-participant obse rvation. The women's food procurement strategies appeared successful since they had improved food security, dietary quality and nutritional status com pared to other impoverished groups. Most had normal weight, 28.3% were obes e, and 14.9%, underweight. Their dietary base included plantains, fish, wil d rodents, coconut, rice, and tropical fruits but consumption of dairy food s, vegetables, bananas and cassava was low. The proportion of dietary energ y provided by carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins was 57%, 29%, and 14%. Pr otein, lipid and cholesterol intakes were elevated. Many had low calcium (8 7%) and zinc intakes (74%) but few, low iron intakes (< 35%) excepting grav idas (67%). Similar to the present day trend in the Americas, the minority women's dietary and other lifestyle characteristics appears to place them a t risk for the development of obesity and other chronic diseases.